1. Field
The following description relates to a method for resizing a network connection in an optical transport network, and, more specifically, to a method for resizing a network connection in an optical transport network that supports protection switching.
2. Description of the Related Art
An optical transport network boasts a wide bandwidth, high reliability and a well-developed protection switching function, and supports Operations Administration and Management (OAM) technologies. To effectively receive packet data, the amount of which is now explosively increasing, there are many attempts to develop a method for transporting packet data in an optical transport network. International Telecommunication Union Telecommunication standardization sector (ITU-T), which is an international organization in charge of standardization work, has standardized a technology for more effectively receiving Ethernet data in an optical transport network. In an effort to flexibly receive a client signal, especially a packet signal, with high transmission efficiency, the ITU-T, defines a flexible Optical channel Data Unit (ODUflex) signal which refers to a Generic Framing Procedure (GFP)-encalsulated packet signal that adds ODUflex overhead to ODUflex payload. In general, the ODUflex signal is used as an ODUflex(GFP) signal.
In addition, the ITU-T has developed a resize protocol that can increase or decrease a size of the ODUflex(GFP) signal without affecting a network. Specifically, the resize protocol is defined as ITU-T G.7044/Y.1347(10/2011) standard or an Hitless Adjustment of ODUflex(GFP) (HAO) procedure. The ITU-T G.7044/Y.1347(10/2011) stand or the HAO process is a resize procedure for increasing or decreasing a network connection. Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2011-0127077 introduces a dynamic packet transmission technology titled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING PACKET IN OPTICAL TRANSPORT NETWORK” that solves the drawbacks of an existing HAO protocol to increase or decrease the amount of packet to be transmitted without packet loss regardless of a size of packet frame.
In this reference, it is assumed that actual packet data is transmitted, and a dynamic resize procedure for a path on which the packet data is transmitted is defined. In addition, for swift restoration at an occurrence of any error or fault in a network that support protection switching, a protection path is set in advance. The HAO protocol according to the ITU-T G.7044/Y.1347(10/2011) stand may be applied in a procedure for changing a bandwidth of a working path in an optical transport network receiving an ODUflex signal, but may be difficult to be applied in a procedure for changing a bandwidth of a protection path.